The following is the total transcript of an interview with FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that aired on Jan. 12, 2025.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Jonathan Vigliotti, thanks. We flip now to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. Welcome again to “Face the Nation.”
FEMA ADMINISTRATOR DEANNE CRISWELL: Good morning, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The Santa Ana winds are forecast to proceed into the subsequent week, and that might gasoline among the blazes. What is your largest space of concern proper now?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: You know, with these winds coming again, and them issuing the pink flag warnings, you understand, these winds change the- the dynamics of this fireplace, and so I’m involved for the protection of our firefighters, involved for his or her capability proceed to include this fireplace, and I need folks to ensure that they’re listening intently to what native officers are saying, to allow them to keep secure and so they can keep out of hurt’s method.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, I do know the winds themselves are uncommon for this specific time of 12 months, however Los Angeles, within the space, they acquired loads of expertise with wildfires. They have loads of regulation and a big firefighting pressure. Do you have got a way at this level why the realm was so unprepared?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: I believe that they had been very ready. This is one thing that they’re very used to, they struggle fires on a regular basis. But they’ve by no means seen 100 mile an hour winds which might be fueling the fireplace, and people winds and that climate situation is what actually impacts, you understand, the place this fireplace goes to go, however extra importantly, how they’re in a position to attempt to include it in these first few hours and days. And as a result of it was in such a populated space, it simply makes it that rather more difficult to have the ability to get in there and safe the perimeter, however as nicely, attempt to save as many properties as potential.
MARGARET BRENNAN: In phrases of the federal response and the assist you are given to native authorities, President Biden spoke a number of instances from the oval workplace this week, and he did point out the necessity to transfer energy strains underground. Do you understand, had been the facility strains a reason for any of those blazes?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: Yeah, I haven’t got any data on the trigger, and I believe that is actually going to be one thing that is going to be, you understand, underneath investigation. But I believe after we take into consideration transferring the facility strains underground, it is not simply from the trigger, nevertheless it’s additionally, how do you retain the facility on when we now have these extreme climate incidents? When you underground them, you create a extra resilient neighborhood, and it will probably stand up to the impacts of all of those several types of storms, whether or not it is fires or hurricanes, and we wish to have the ability to preserve these communities energized.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Will that be a requirement for any federal assist for the rebuild?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: It’s not going to be a requirement for us except it is a part of their native code, proper? And we wish to have the ability to implement the native codes that they’ve, and so we’ll work intently with California. It’s additionally utilizing this as a possibility. You know, even when it is not a requirement, is that this one thing that they need to have the ability to do? We have further ways in which we will fund that via our packages as they start the rebuilding.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The governor has indicated he is a variety of govt orders. If native environmental laws are loosened right here as a way to assist shortly rebuild, does that concern you in any respect? And will it make it extra difficult for folks to acquire ob- insurance coverage, which we already know is kind of costly and arduous for a lot of Californians to get.
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: You know, the insurance coverage piece is an actual concern. We’ve, you understand, heard the tales of so many individuals which have misplaced their insurance coverage previous to this occasion, and that is the primary useful resource that households have to assist with their rebuilding course of. And so what I believe we wish to have the ability to do is we wish to have the ability to work with the governor’s crew to rebuild in a method that makes communities extra resilient, that retains insurance coverage corporations there, proper, that we rebuild in a method that makes them stronger, and lowering the influence in order that they wish to keep in these communities, and so they do not must to lose the insurance coverage carriers. We have to have the ability to work along with the insurance coverage trade to assist discover methods to- to maintain this actually priceless useful resource in place for thus many households.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But, many of those insurance policies had been already canceled months in the past, as we have been reporting. So ought to the federal government, although, be within the enterprise of stepping in and serving to folks rebuild if the personal market has deemed these areas simply too dangerous?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: You know, our packages actually assist soar begin the restoration course of, however with out insurance coverage, households are going to have to search out different means to have the ability to rebuild. But once more, it is not essentially simply the place you rebuild, it is going to be how. And we wish to have the ability to do issues that may encourage households to rebuild their properties in a method that make them extra fireplace resistant. You know, we now have loads of science and expertise on the market that exhibits ways in which we will make these properties stronger and extra resistant towards these fires. That’s actually the place we have to focus our efforts as we transfer into the rebuilding part.
MARGARET BRENNAN: President Biden stated that 100% of the firefighting prices will probably be picked up for six months on the federal tab, however there may be the separate subject of particular person help to victims who misplaced their properties. We checked, and Congress set the utmost FEMA grant stage at simply in need of $44,000. It’s very costly residing in California. Does that should be raised? Should Congress do this?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: So once more, our packages aren’t designed to switch insurance coverage. Our packages are designed to leap begin the restoration course of, and we all know that in- in lots of areas, not simply California, that you understand that’s not going to be sufficient to rebuild a house, which is why insurance coverage is so essential. We’ll work with different companions, and considered one of our best companions is the Small Business Administration that may do low curiosity loans to those households to offer them one other useful resource to assist rebuild. We’ll additionally work with our nonprofit companions, philanthropic companions, bringing the entire society collectively so we will work with every household to assist them determine the suitable instruments that they are going to want and the choices that they are going to must make as they go down this restoration journey
MARGARET BRENNAN: You’re describing a very expensive enterprise right here. I’ve seen estimates on damages that vary from $60 to $130 billion. Do you have got any ballpark determine at this level–
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: –No–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –Because it will appear, in keeping with President Biden, that Congress goes to must do extra.
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: Yeah, I haven’t got any good estimates proper now, and I believe it is essential to do not forget that these fires are nonetheless burning, which suggests harm continues to be occurring. But the price for this catastrophe, each from simply the bodily infrastructure, but in addition the financial losses, they are going to be vital. There’s going to be different packages that congress can work via, like HUD’s Community Development Block Grant for Disaster program, that may additionally assist cowl among the issues that FEMA’s packages do not cowl, or different components of the insurance coverage trade. There’s all kinds of various instruments and assets that can be utilized that should be approved by Congress to essentially assist this neighborhood on this highway to restoration.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, Congress did simply present extra emergency funding within the supplemental. So this is- this isn’t a one time downside. This appears to be a recurring have to get an increasing number of federal cash right here. Can you replace us on the place we’re with the restoration in North Carolina?
08:43:19
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: Yeah, I imply, I’m glad you talked about the funding, as a result of we actually had been nervous about that as we had been going into the restoration in North Carolina, however we acquired bipartisan assist from Congress and $27 billion into our catastrophe aid fund so we will assist the response and restoration efforts for this fireplace, but in addition the continuing restoration efforts which might be occurring throughout the six states that had been impacted by Hurricane Helene, in addition to Hurricane Milton. You know, we’re persevering with to work with- with Governor Stein, now in- in North Carolina, as he is working via the restoration piece and, you understand, engaged on getting the particles elimination out of the best way so households can rebuild their properties, serving to them restore the infrastructure. We nonetheless have so many individuals engaged in North Carolina serving to with this restoration course of, as a result of we all know it is going to be difficult. It’s going to be difficult right here in California, however we will usher in the suitable specialists and the suitable employees to assist them all through that journey.
MARGARET BRENNAN
Secretary Mayorkas just lately advised us that you simply all needed to pull some federal staff out of the realm, out of North Carolina, due to threats towards them that is fueled by misinformation. Has that ended, or is that menace persevering with?
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL
Yeah, I simply wish to be clear, we had one particular incident at someday through the response in North Carolina, the place we pulled folks from going door to door, however we at all times saved our services open, and we had folks in all of these communities. But it is actually unlucky that we had to try this proper as a result of the misinformation was creating these harassing environments for our employees. We do- it isn’t like what we noticed, you understand, throughout these preliminary days in North Carolina, however we have put measures in place to ensure that our employees know that they are secure and that they are protected, and that we will proceed to assist folks. They are going door to door, nonetheless speaking to people, and we now have these fastened services the place people can come discuss to us. But you understand, that is going to be one thing we will must face going ahead is that this stage of misinformation that is going on the market and getting folks to know that they’ll entry our packages, we will must work intently with native officers on all these occasions to verify we’re getting the suitable data to the folks which have been impacted.
MARGARET BRENNAN
Well, we recognize you becoming a member of us right now to get the message out. Administrator Criswell, good luck to you.
ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL: Thank you.
